What tells you about the activities?

Recreating ‘Realistic’ Soundscapes

If we understand these cues, then we can construct them in reverse and create imaginary soundscapes, that still seem real. We might call these ‘truth-like’.

Sound designers often work this way in film, taking inspiration from sounds in the real world. Think, for example, about the sounds in an animated film. Animations are completely made up (either drawn or made using computers), so they do not come with their own sounds. Any sounds in an animated film have been imported from elsewhere.

Listening Challenge

Laser Gun

One great example of this is the sound of a ‘laser gun’. Most people will be able to make an impression of a laser gun sound (“Piaoow”).

BUT, there are no real laser guns, not even outside of animations. So, the sound of the laser gun had to come from somewhere else.